Lubricator.



F. FIECHTER.

LUBRICATOR. APPucmou msn Aus.2s. 1914.

1,156,768. P atnted Occ. 12, 1915.

Inma/1221? 332W @fw/ ings in w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK FIECHTE, 0F PHILADELIHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A'SSIGNOIL OF UNE-HALF T0 OSCAR H. LUCKER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LUBRIGATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten oet. 12, 1915.

To all `whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK Final-ITER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention '1s to provide a novel and relatively simple device for automatically feeding solid lubricant such as graphite into a steam line or other steam container in which there is an intermittent or variable flow, the invention also contemplating means whereby the flow of lubricant from the container may be accurately regulated. Another object of the invention is to pro vide agraphite feeding shall include a member movable in one direction by a current of flowing fluid such Aas steam and movable in the opposite direction by a spring when such current flow has ceased or has varied in degree,fto cause feeding of graphite from a container to any desired receptacle such as a steam line.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set foith reference'being had to the accompanying drawhich.-

Figure 1 is a vertical section of aportion of a steam main illustrating my invention as applied thereto; Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections of slightly modified forms of my lubricator; Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections on the lines a-a and b-.b, Fig. 3, and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are. perspective views of the steam actuated members employed in those forms of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In the above drawings 1 represents a portion of a steam main in which there is a pulsating or intermittent fiow of steam due to the alternate admission and cutoff of steam to an engine, and in order to provide a definite supply of graphite to this main for `the the cup 2 and lubrication of the, valves and piston of such engine, I connect to said steam main a container in the form of a cup Q normally closed by a removable cap 4, and having in the present instance, a horizontal tubular outlet 3. Between the hollowA interior of Whose lower end is formed conical seat for the reception of a valve 5 fixed to a stem 6, which extends through said passage into lubricator which r the conduit 3 isa passage atf the interior of the cup. Said valve is normally kept seated by means of a spring 7 acting between the bottom of the cup and a washer 8 retained on the upper end of the stem (i by a nut 9. The wall of the passage from the cup to the conduit 3 is preferably formed with notches or serrations 10 and that portion of the stem immediately ad- ]actit the same is also serrated as indicated a Attached to the valve 5 is a` vertically slotted head 12 whose lower end is engaged by an adjusting screw 13 threaded through the suitably thickened wall of the conduit 3 und having an armedoperating head 14 whereby it may be turned. Said screw has mounted upon its outer portion a jam nut 15 whereby it may Vbe held in any adiusted position. I

Within the conduit 3 is fulcrumed an actuating lever 16 of any order and construction, which is shown as mounted upon 4a transverse pin 17 and having one arm or end extending into the dlot of the head 12 The opposite arm of said lever (which is shown as of the first class) projects into the steam line l where it is provided with a vane or plate-like extremity 18 lying in a plane substantially at right angles to the line of flow of the steam or other fluid in said pipe. v

Under conditions of operation the cup is filled with graphite or other suitable lubricant, and the screw 13 is backed off by turning the armed head 11 so that its inner end is spaced away from the lower end of the valve head l2. If now the steam Vfiows in the main l in the direction indicated by the arrow, it acts upon the receiving vane or paddle 18, turningthe lever 16 downwardly against the action of the spring 7. Such movement causes a` certain definite quantity of graphite to be drawn down by the teeth or indcntations 1l of the valve rod (i into the passage leading from the cup 2 to the conduit 3 and when said steam flow ceases or is temporarily checked, the spring 2 through the passageand past the valve 5 into the discharge conduit 3, from whence they are free to pass into the steam main 1.

Obviously the amount of material fed from the cup may be regulated by adjusting the possible are of oscillation of the lever 16 by means of the screw 13 which may be moved nearer to or farther from the head 12 to vary the possible movement thereof.

In any case each positive flow of steam {.hrough the main 1. will act upon the plate 18 of the lever 16 to open the valve 5 so as to permit passage of a small quantity ot' graphite and upon cessation of this How the spring 7 will act upon the valve rod G to again seat the valve, it being noted that the toothed construction of the valve stem and of the walls of the passage in which it operates serves to' insure the delivery of the lubricant in finely divided form while the reciprocation of the valve stem prevents packing of the lubricant in the cup.

If desired the cup may be designed with the discharge conduit on the bottom instead of at the side, and in such case the lubri- Cator would be constructed as shown in Fig. 9.. As before. there is provided this conduit indicated at 3 designed to screw into the wall of the steam main and at its inner end connected through a horizontally extending passage with the bottom of the lubricant containing cup 2i. The inner end of said passage is formed into a valve seat in line with an opening in one side of the cup. which opening normally closed b v a. cap 19 formed with a hole threaded for the reception of a screw 13 having an armed head 1-L. Between the valve 5 and the inner end of this cover 19 is mounted a spring 'l'a which surrounds the valve stem whose opposite end 6a projects into the conduit 3a where it ahuts upon one end ot' the actuating lever 16 which is fulcrumed upon. a pin 1T within said conduit. The opposite end of this lever terminates in a plate 1S which as in the device shown in Fig. 1, projects beyond the end of the conduit 3 into the passageway of the steam main l so as to be acted on by the steam flow therein. In this case I attach to the valve 5 a stirring device such as the wire 20 which extends upwardly into the body of the cup "2 in such manner that each movement ofY the valve moves said wire through the mass of lubricant within the cup and prevents it from packing. As before. the valve stem Fia and the adjacent wall of the passage in which it operates are provided with serrations or recesses wherebv delinite amounts of lubricant are period icl'allv moved from the cup into and through the passage 3a. In this case the part 12a of the valve stem extends into position to be engaged by the adjusting screw 13, which may be moved in or ont to var v the distance the valve 5 may move from its seat, it being flow capable of actuating said valve, and as an example of such modifications I have in Fig. 3 illustrated a lubricator cup 2 having an axially placed deliver7 conduit 3 connecting with the interior of the cup through a relatively small passage 22 formed in a plug fixed in the bottom thereof.` Upon' the top surface of this plug is mounted an oscillatory valve 5 having a vertical port or passage which may be brought into line wit 1 the passage 22 of the plug. This valve is kept seated by a spring 7b which extends between it and a cross-bar 25 at the top of the casing, and has a stem (in rigidly fixed to it by means of a jam nut- 26. The spring, in addition to keeping the valve seated, is so connected to it that it normally maintains it in a position with its passage out of line with the passage 22 and the valve stem il", in addition to having a bearing where it passes through the plug 23, has a second bearing in a cross-member 27 mounted within theconduit 3b. In this case the valve stem 6b has connected to or mounted upon its lower end a dished or cupped plate 18aL connected to it at one side, so that whenever a flow of steam occurs in the main or pipe to which the conduit 3b is attached, saidl plate with the valve stem is caused to turn about the axis of said stem and momentarily bring the holes 22 and 28 into line. As av result a small quantity of graphite is free to pass from the cup into the conduit and thence into the steam main. In any case the alternate flow and cutting off of steam in the main 1 causes an oscillatory movement of the lever 1G or the rod 6, as the case may be, with the result that a valve is opened to permit of the out-flow of a relatively small amount of lubricant.

ll'hile I have described my invention as'V of the lubricant but act to equalize the size,

at the particles before they are delivered to the main 1.

I claim 1. The combination of a receptacle for holding solid lubricant having an outlet; a.

valve for said outlet; a spring normally holding said valve closed; a stirrer in addition to the spring carried on thevalve and extending into the container; a member connected to the valve and extending outside the container; and a fluid receiving vane connected to said outwardly extended part of said member.

2. The combination in a container having an outlet; a valve forlsaid outlet; a spring normally holding the valve closed; a member connected to the valve andv extending outside the container; a steam receiving vane on the outer portion of said member; and adjustable means for limiting the amount of opening of the valve.

3. The combination in a lubricator of a container having an outlet; a valve for said outlet having a stem; a spring acting on said stem to keep the valve normally seated; an adjusting screw in line with the valve stem to limit the the valve; an actuating member connected. t'o the valve'and extending outside the container; with a steam receiving vane on said member.

L The combination in a lubricator of a container having an outlet provided with a serrated surface; a valve having a serrated Stem coacting with the serrations of said outlet -for grinding solid lubricant; and means for periodically actuating said valve.

5. The combination in a lubricator of a container having an outlet provided with a lubricator of a amount of movement of" means for periodically moving the valve.

6. The combination of a container havin an outlet conduit; a lever pivoted in sai conduit and having a steam vane outside of the latte-r; a valve controlling iiow of material Jfrom the container to said conduit.

and connected to one arm of the lever; a device for adjusting the possible opening of tHe valve; and a spring normally holding Ythe valve closed.

T.`The combination of a cup having an outlet conduit and a valve seated passage leading thereto; a serrated rod movable'in said passage; a valve on said rod in osition to control flow of solid material rom the cup between the Wall of the passage and the rod into the conduit; a spring acting to move the valve to a closed position; with a lever of the first order pivoted in the con duit and extending in a line substantially at right angles to the rod, said lever having one arm operatively connected to the valve and being provided with a steam vane projecting outside of the conduit.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my naine to this specification; in the presence of two subscribing witnesse s FREDERICK FIECHTER.

Witnesses lVInLIAM E. BRADLEY, XVM. A. BARR.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,156,768.

-It is hereby certified that the name of the itseignf-.e in Letters Patent Nn.

1,156,768, granted October lf2, 1915, upon the application of l `ruderivl Fivrfhter,

of Pliilmloll'ihia, Pelmsylvania, for am improvementJ in "'Llihrirntm's,"l wm erronetruely written and printed as Oscar H. Lucker, whereas, said nume should huw lxwn written :ind printed as Oskar H. lucker, :Ls shown l lv the rin-owls of insign wenn` in thi` (mimi: :unl that the Said Letters Patent should lm mail willi thie cnrrectiion therein that the saune may conform to theI record of the use in the Patent (')ftice i Signed und sealed this 2nd day 0f November, A, D., i915.

{SEAL} R. F. WHITEHEAI).

Acting Commissv'mzer of Patents. 

